While Roger Tuivasa-Sheck returns four NRL regulars will be missing for the One New Zealand Warriors’ 16th-round match against the Gold Coast Titans at Cbus Super Stadium in Robina on Saturday (3.00pm kick-off local time; 5.00pm NZT).
Experienced back rowers Kurt Capewell (Queensland) and Mitchell Barnett (New South Wales) are unavailable following their selection for the second State of Origin contest on June 26.
Centre Rocco Berry is sidelined with a shoulder injury which forced him off after just 37 minutes of Saturday night’s clash with Melbourne and winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is serving a one-game suspension after taking an early guilty plea for a high tackle on his Storm opposite Grant Anderson.
Tuivasa-Sheck replaces Berry in the centres as he returns from a hamstring injury which kept him out of the club’s last five matches against the Roosters, Panthers, Dolphins, Cowboys and Storm.
Edward Kosi makes his 30th NRL appearance with Watene-Zelezniak suspended for just the second time in his 203-game career.
With Barnett out, Dylan Walker moves from loose forward to the second row and captain Tohu Harris returns to the starting lineup after being used from the bench in his first two matches back from his hand injury.
Capewell’s place on the interchange is taken by 36-game prop Tom Ale who joins utility Chanel Harris-Tavita, middle forward Jazz Tevaga and back rower Jacob Laban.
Despite finishing ahead in a raft of key statistical measures, the One New Zealand Warriors were left disappointed after their 24-28 loss to the Storm in front of a packed Go Media Stadium on Saturday. The result leaves them on 15 points in 12th place, two points out of the top eight.
While the Titans are sitting at the bottom of the ladder with a 3-10 win-loss record, the One New Zealand Warriors have found them challenging opponents.
They’ve won five of the last seven encounters between the clubs since 2020, most recently beating the Warriors 27-24 at Go Media Stadium on Anzac Day.
The Warriors had a 28-18 win in the corresponding match in Robina last year and have a 20-13 edge in 33 contests with the Titans.